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T. J. SUGGS.

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T. J. SUG-GS. FIRE PLACE.

No. 407,702. v Patented July 23, 1889.

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T. J. SUGGVS, FIRE PLAGE.

No. 407,702. Patented July 23, 1889..

A i 1 WM .PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS J. SUGGS, OF LAFAYETTE, ALABAMA.

FIRE-PLACE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 407,702, dated July 23, 1889.

Application filed October 26, 1888- $erial No. 289,210. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, THOMAS J. SUGGS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lafayette, in the county of Chambers and State of Alabama, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Fire-Places, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in fire-places; and it consists in the peculiar construction and combination of devices, that will be more fully set forth hereinafter, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a front side of my improved fire-place. Fig. 2isa perspective view of the rear side of the same. 3 is a vertical central sectional view of the same. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the front side of a modified form of my invention. Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view of the same. Fig. 6 is a perspective View of the front side of another modified form of my invention.

A represents a fire-place which communicates with the exit-flue and in which is located the grate O, of any suitable form.

D represents a base-plate, which is fitted-on the hearth of the fire-place and has its inner sides extending into the fire-place and provided with the inclined portion E. The said base-plate has a hinged outer section F, which is adapted to be turned to a vertical position and has in its front side a door G. I An opening H is formed in the inner side of the baseplate, the latter bein hollow on its under side, as shown. The front side of the baseplate is curved in the usual manner, and is adapted to support a summer-front, which may be arranged on the front side of the fireplace in warm weather to entirely conceal the same. The base-plate is further provided on its upper side in line with the front 'walls of the fire-place with the transverse groove I.

K represents the mantel, which may be of any suitable construction, and is arranged on the front side of the fire-place. The legs or standards L of the mantel are hollowed on their rear side, as shown in Fig. 2, and in the upper ends of the said legs or standards are journaled pulleys M N. A cross-bar O connects said legs or standards near their upper and in the center of the mantel, is secured a shaft P, on which the pulleys R S are mounted. T represents a blower, which is of suitable size to cover the front side of the fire-place and has its-ends guided in vertical grooves U on the inner sides of the standards or legs L. A cord or chain V is attached to the upper side of the blower at the center thereof, passes over the pulleys R N, and is attached to a counterbalancin g weight V, which is arranged in one of the standards or legs of the mantel. The blower is provided on its other side, near its lower edge, with a knob or handle X, by means of which it may be raised or lowered, as will be readily understood.

Y represents a screen which is curved transversely to correspond with the contour of the projecting portion of the base-plate, and has its edges guided in grooves Z on the inner sides of the standards or legs of the mantel.

A cord or chain A is attached to the upper side of the said screen, passes over the pulleys S H, and to the outer end of the said cord or chain is attached a counterbalancingweight B and is arranged in one of the hollow legs or standards of the mantel, as shown. The said screen is also provided with a knob or handle 0, by means of which it may be raised or lowered.

In the front wall of the chimney at a suitable distance above the fire-place is a horizontal fine D, the front end of which communicates with the space in rear of the mantel and the rear end of which communicates with the flue B and is covered by a screen of wire-gauze E. The function of the flue l) is to permit the escape of the heated air from behind the mantel when the blower is raised, thereby preventing the mantel from bein g heated to an injurious extent.

The operation of my invention is as follows: The blower is adapted to regulate the draft by raising and lowering the same, as will be readily understood, and the blower, when the same is drawn down and caused to bear 011 the base-plate, (the screen being raised,) prevents sparks and cinders from the fire from alighting on the floor and causing ignition when no one is present. When the blower is lowered so that its lower edge is embedded in ends, and in the center of the said cross-bars,

the groove I and the door G is closed air is entirely out off from the fire-place, andhence the fire in the grate is caused to smolder and finally die out, as will be readily understood. When the blower is lowered to its full extent and the door G is opened, avery strong draft of air results, which will cause the fire to burn very briskly and carry oif the products of combustion through the flue or chimney. If it be desired to remove the ashes, this may be accomplished by raising the blower so as to lessen the draft under the base-plate and turning the front section of the latter upward to a vertical position onits hinges, when a fire-shovel may be passed under the rear section of the base-plate and caused to remove the ashes from the fire-place, as will be read i1 y understood.

In Fig. 4 I illustrate a modified form of my invention, in which the screen is dispensed with. The same arrangement is illustrated in Fig. 5. The mantel is in these cases shown provided with hinged lids or covers a for the upper ends of the legs or standards, the said lids or covers permitting easy access to the interior of the legs or standards and rear of mantel and forming bracket-shelves when arranged in their normal horizontal position.

In Fig. 6 I illustrate another modified form of my invention in which the covers or lids a are not hinged to the mantel, but are provided with grooves or recesses on their lower sides, adapting them to be fitted snugly on the upper ends of the legs or standards.

A fire-place thus constructed is cheap and simple, may be ornamented in any desired manner, insures sufficient draft to cause active combustion of the fire, and will be found of great practical utility.

A partition of material suitable to repel the heat of the blower when raised from the screen will be arranged in the breast of the mantel, between the spaces that the blower and screen occupy in the mantel that contains the two, and also the rear of the mantel-breast will be made rough and will contain a coating of a non-conducting substance to protect the front side of the mantels in the two modified forms having the blower only.

Having thus described my invention, I claim- 1. In a fire-place, the herein-described 1101- low base having the rear end of its upper side inclined downwardly, having a draft- 3. In a fire-place, the hollow base-plate having inclined rear end, a draft-opening in its rear side, a hinged front top section, and a hinged front door, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. The combination, with the hollow baseplate having inclined rear end, a draft-opening in its rear side, a hinged front top section, a hinged front door, and provided with a transverse groove in its upper side, of the vertically-adj ustaole blower sliding in grooves in, the sides of the mantel, and adapted to have its lower edge fitted in the transverse groove of the base-plate, substantially as set forth.

5. The mantel having hollow or recessed sides or legs prov-idedwith vertical grooves in their inner sides extending upwardly through the mantel-shelf, and having open upper ends provided with hinged or removable covers, in combination with the vertically-adjustable blower and screen sliding in the grooves in the inner sides of the legs, the counter-weights arranged in the hollow legs, and suitable connecting cords and pulleys, substantially as set forth.

6. The combination, with the mantel and the chimney, of a transverse flue connecting the space in rear of the breast of the mantel with the chimney-flue, substantially as set forth.

7. The combination, with the mantel and the chimney, of a transverse flue connecting the space in rear of the breast of the mantel with the chimney-flue, and the vertically-sliding blower, adapted, when not in use, to occupy said space in rear of the breast of the mantel, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

THOMAS J. SUGGS.

IV itn esses:

E. W. J ONES, JOHN STILWELL. 

